Traditional German market organised at UNESCO site ‘Alteburg Market’, with Roman history

Frankfurt (Alteburg Market) : Thousands of ethnic Germans gathered around an ancient UNESCO heritage site, the ‘Alteburg Market’ at about 40 km towards Northeast of country’s financial capital Frankfurt to celebrate their victories over Roman  attackers ‘barbarians’  18 centuries ago. The   joyful festivities began arond  the UNESCO marked heritage site,  on Thursday, July 25,  with cultural dances,  shopping, sharing  locally distilled  wine/ beer and merry-making to pay  their tributes to their ancestors,  having connection with  Roman occupation of the areas.

The Editor of website  www.NewsOnRadar.com  had the previlege of visiting the place  and witnessing the festivites of rural German folk.  Speaking to a  veteran and jovial story-teller about the social and historic importance of the festival , reveals the reverence villages  express to their ancestors. The Alteberg Fort was built arond 150 AD, protected by  150-160 guards and   abandoned in about 3rd century.

The Upper Germanic-Raetian Limes built between the rivers Rhine and Denube, covering over 550 km stretch fortified with 120 forts (Burgs) and 900 watch towers  built over 150 years of Roman regime in the area. A market was held in the area in the modle centuries (around 1178 AD, as per historical records). The Alteberg  market was held around a Church area those days and the tradition continues till date. The towns of Idstein and Heftrich can boast the testimony of those periods in records. Niedernhaussen/Oberseelbach are the towns nearby.

These remains of  forts and walled  boundaries  were declared World heritage sites in 2005 by UNESCO. The descendents of those resistance armed forces gather every year to pay remembrance  to their  ancestors  reciting their rymes and lores accompanied with belle dances. The celebrations and joy prevelent among the folk was no less than a glimpse of Vijaya Dashmi Utsav  enjoyed by the Indian rural  masses.

Small shop-keepers selling domestic items, kitchenware,  farm tools,  dresses, juice corners, ice-cream parlors  and restaurants made the day purposeful and   increased  the visitors’  joy manyfold.